Why have a brand?

As mentioned, branding as come a long way from burning cowhide, and your brand can be anything from a word to a symbol to an animation. What it needs to be is a strong, easily distinguishable symbol of your business. Think of some of the brands you know. Nike, Adidas, Coca Cola, or Apple Mac. What do they all have in common? A strong symbol that, without words, communicates to the public the company name. Nike and the swoosh, Adidas and the three stripes, Coca Cola and the iconic bottle, and Apple Mac with the, well, apple. Without using any extra words or space, these brands are instantly recognisable, which is what you want for your business.

Why don’t you perform a little exercise? Go to the nearest mall, and see how many brands you can recognise instantly. See how many you know from a colour, a shape or a symbol. And then, when it comes to creating or refreshing your own brand, you can use those examples of what to aspire to. Try to come up with one thing that makes your brand and business different, and communicate that in your brand.